Articles

The plant leaves used as adsorbent in this study were Guava plant leaves (GPL) and Cashew plant leaves (CPL). The samples were collected within Gombe State. Batch adsorption method was used in determining the adsorption process. Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scan-ning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) were used for the characterization. The results show promising signs as they were in agreement with most literatures; various per-centage removals were obtained from Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺ (GPL and CPL) at optimum conditions. The equilibrium data fitted well with both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. Langmuir mod-el fitted well for Pb²⁺ (CPL) with R² value (0.9855) and Cd²⁺ for (GPL and CPL) with R²values (0.9945 and 0.9948) while Pb²⁺ (GPL) with correlation coefficient at 0.9116 best fits well with Freundlich isotherm model. Pseudo first order and second order were used in testing the kinetics study from which pseudo second order best fitted better than that of the first order kinetics. The thermodynamic study shows that ΔG is negative in most cases except for Cd²⁺ (GPL) where ΔG is positive. Whereas ΔH and ΔS are positive in some cases showing an endothermic and spontane-ous adsorption processes respectively, as well as negative in some. Based on this study, GPL and CPL could be used as a natural adsorbent to remove Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺ heavy metals from wastewater and environment due to their high removal efficiencies.

The kinetics, equilibrium and thermodynamic study of the adsorption of Ni²⁺, Pb²⁺ and Cu²⁺ions from aqueous solution by the leaf of Mangiferaindica were investigated at different experimental conditions. Optimum conditions of initial metal ion concentration, pH, adsorbent dose, contact time and temperature were determined. The kinetics studies indicate that the adsorption process of the metals ions followed the pseudo second-order model with R² value of 0.9938, 1.00 and 1.00 respectively. Equilibrium studies showed that the adsorption of Ni²⁺, Pb²⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions are well represented by both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm but the Langmuir model gave a better fit for Pb²⁺ ions with R² value of 0.9950 and Langmuir constant K_L of 4.3383 while Freundlich isotherm model best fit the experimental data of lead(II) and nickel(II) with a R² value of 0.976 and 0.9973 and Freundlich constant K_F value of 4.2677 and 0.0874. The calculated thermodynamics parameters of Ni²⁺, Pb²⁺and Cu²⁺ ions are ( ΔG^o -1182.49,-5479.1 and 613.48 KJ/mol) showed that the adsorption of Ni²⁺ and Pb²⁺are spontaneous while Cu²⁺non-spontaneous. The findings indicate that the leaf of Mangiferaindica could be used for the adsorption of Ni²⁺, Pb²⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions from industrial effluents.